Cycle Taiwan Day 1 - Kuala Lumpur to Taipei - My first time to this country

 I have just completed my round West Peninsular Malaysia tour 3 weeks ago and this time around I was going to Taiwan for another tour. Together with me were Jocelyn, Joseph, Anne, Fenn and Robert. We were booked a 10.00am flight to Taipei from KLIA2.

One of the several meetings we had before the trip at the Royal Selangor Club Annex.

Everyone of us were excited of this trip which we have been planning for the last 6 months. This was my first time visiting Taiwan and we shall tour the island for the next 22 days.

Our first welfie at KLIA 2. Photo credit : Anne Cheong.

Our Brompton were bagged in IKEA Dimpa except for Fenn's where she used a hard case and other than that we were only carrying our hand luggage. Photo credit : Anne Cheong.

Time to depart and take a long walk to the boarding gate.

Anne was lucky to get this row of seats.

After nearly 5 hours flight we arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. The Brommies have safely landed.

Our stuffs managed to reach at the airport intact and the first thing we did was to scout for a data plan. We got ourselves connected with Chonghwa Telecom with a payment of NTD1,000. A 30-day plan with unlimited 4G internet access. 

It was a wet evening the moment we landed at Taipei, our pre-hired Volkwagens T5 9 seater van took about an hour to reach Ximending, Taipei and it continued to rain. Our host waited for us and showed the way to Freebird Apartments. A room for 6 of us and it was rather cramp.

Ximending is also known as the "Harajuku" of Taipei, this pedestrian shopping haven is one of the city's culture centres, hosting a massive variety of fashion clothing shops, eclectic restaurants, clubs, and bars. Our apartment was just right in the haven and food is easily available.

A brief look at the food we ate on the first night or rather our first Taiwanese food for the trip. Photo credit : Anne Cheong.

The rain has stopped, our tummies have been satisfied and time to explore the nearby area. So we went walking randomly.

Taipei Tian Hou Temple (台北天后宮) located at Chengdu Road GPS : 25.042709, 121.506310. The front is narrow but it balloons out at the rear.

The Red House Theater, often called Hong Lo Red Play House, Red Theater, Ximen Honglou or Ximen Red House in English, is a historic theater in Ximending, Wanhua District, Taipei. We enjoyed going through their merchandise.

What a small world, I saw someone who looks like my cousin brother and I shouted at him, he was shocked and surprised to see me. He was with his wife and family for a holiday too.

The first night in Ximending.

The popular Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle 阿宗麵線 always crowded with patrons queuing for their sticky vermicelli. Good night Ximending we hope that tomorrow's weather will be better and looking forward for a ride with the local Brompton cyclists.